Monday 6 June 2011

Handmade Monday and a day of 'firsts'

A very good morning to you all and a special hello to my new followers. Today I am celebrating for three reasons
  • I am no longer a 'virgin' craft fair stall holder
  • I have received a 'versatile' blogger award from the lovely Ros at Ros Made Me
  • ...and I can now, actually, at last comment on other people's blogs!
 First the award. A big thank you to Ros for this.


I'm surprised you didn't hear my squeal when I found out. My first one! It was so lovely to receive and very much appreciated. I hadn't visited my blog for a bit as I was so frustrated with all of the problems I had been having, so little did I know there was such a nice surprise waiting for me. Now, I understand the way these things work are for me to....
  • Make a post linking back to the person who gave you the award.
  • Share 7 random things about yourself
  • Award 7 recently discovered bloggers with this award and contact them to let them know they have won.
So here goes.....

Bluebell at At Home in the Country
Polly Polkadot
Pickle Lily
Pomoma at Little Cottage Comforts
Sarah at Sew Me Happy
Lisa at StuffMummyMakes
Jan at Handcrafted by Picto

Make sure you visit these lovely blogs soon.

Next I have to give 7 random facts about myself, this I found surprisingly challenging.

  1. I'll fight to the death for a last slice of Pavlova, my favourite dessert.
  2. I used to be a primary school teacher
  3. Before starting a new book I have to smell it - I know? ( A trait I've passed on to my youngest son)
  4. I have a secret yearning to make a full on Anne Boleyn style Tudor costume
  5. Snakes, worms and Simon Cowell or anything squirmy makes me want to hide behind a cushion 
  6. I once trod grapes for my Dad in his wine making days (Wine was alright actually just in case you wondered)
  7. Am currently humming Calvin Harris 'Merrymaking at my place' (how cool am I??? Actually I confess I first heard it on Debbie Harry's choice of Desert Island Discs)
And now my contribution for Handmade Monday.



This is one of the items I made for my stall at the Buckingham Country Show. I am so pleased with this because it really is a labour of love. Firstly, the frame, picked up from a local car boot by a good friend, who thought it might come in handy for me. What a pal! I distressed it so that it got that suitable shabby chic look and I was pleased with how it came out.


The fabric picture is a design I have been putting on my tea and coffee cosies and is again raw edge applique using fabric scraps - my favourite thing to do.






 As for the fair ........ A brief summary would be to say it was a good experience. I did come out making money (just) but we felt that due to poor positioning the sales weren't as good as they could have been. When the fifth person said to us, '"Oh, I didn't realise there were more craft stalls in this bit" we started to worry. There just wasn't a sensible flow for customer traffic and ourselves and those around us were not happy bunnies. However it was a good learning experience, people seemed to like my stuff and I've got a good idea of what to focus on next time.

Bit of a mammoth post today so thanks for sticking with it. Now I'm off to pay Wendy a visit at 1st unique gifts for a much overdue commenting session on all of those lovely blogs.

Thanks so much for visiting. See you tomorrow.

20 comments:

  1. I love the cake picture, and the shabby chic frame really sets it off. Lovely to hear about your first craft fair - may it be onwards and upwards from here! Congrats also on the blog award - always interesting to read these snippets about people!

    Thank you for taking part in Handmade Monday x

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  2. Love the4 cup cake picture, something timeless about cup cakes and well done at your first event. All fairs are a learning curve some you do well at and others not but enjoy the day and the experience.

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  3. Well done on breaking your duck on the craft stall. Your free hand embroidery is just fab... I always get a frisson of anticipation before I open your blog because I always find good things!

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  4. Love your blog well done on your award the cupcake looks great and well framed xxxx

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  5. I love these pictures so much! I've got my order in so the rest of you ladies will have to form an orderly queue! Well done for getting your first fair under your belt Caroline - it's a shame the stall was in such an inaccessible area but I think people have only to see your beautiful creations to desire them. Here's to many more! Vx

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  6. Congratulations on your first blog award!
    And well done to those to whom you've passed on the award!
    That first fair is always nerve racking, and location is so important and usually beyond your control unfortunately.
    I remember my very first fair 5 or 6 years ago, an outdoor xmas market, and it went mad, I couldnt believe it, people actually queueing to buy my handmade stuff (did a lot of handpainted xmas decs that year which went down very well!) I ran out stock for some things, out of change and i just couldnt keep up with what was going on and my mind froze when it came to giving out the right change (even though I'm accountant!)I luckily seemed to be in the right place selling the right stuff so it was very encouraging!
    Its all a learning curve though and you get good fairs and bad, and soon learn not to be despondent when its not so good.
    Good Luck!
    Gill xx

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  7. Thank you for including me - it is a great compliment!

    Pomona x

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  8. Ok I've just done a comment and it's disappeared..
    so ....... well done on the award and thank you for passing on the baton, well done on your first fair and changing your virgin status :o)
    Love your frame and cake picture.

    Fingers crossed this one doesn't do a runner x

    Jan x

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  9. I love your cake piccy. That would look nice in my kitchen ;)

    Well done on your first fair! I bet you had fun! Looking forward to seeing more!

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  10. Congrats on your award!
    The picture is fab, i love the shabby chic look it is very effective, and it suits the picture frame well. What a thoutful friend you have!

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  11. I think the craft fairs sound like so much fun. Love the framed cupcake. Of course, also love cupcakes and shabby chic anything, but yours is quite adorable. The award is well deserved also. :)

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  12. Well done on the first craft fair, I've yet to break that duck but I have done a few bootsales.
    Lovely picture- very cute.Congratulations on the blog award.

    LH
    x

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  13. Congratulations on your award and thank you so much for passing it on to me, I am very flattered! (I'll be returning the favour when I get my act together, feel like I am running a B&B at the moment).

    I know what you mean about smelling new books.
    Glad your first craft fair went well even though you didn't get the ideal site and the cake picture is brilliant, you never seem short of good ideas!

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  14. Congratulation on your award and first craft fair! Love your cake picture, you've used lovely fabric. Anna x

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  15. oh beautiful! what a yummy embroidery cake! they are so fashionable these days, arent they?
    love the shabby chic frame too! makes lovely picture for the kitchen or a craft room :)
    thanks for dropping by x
    martha

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  16. Congrats on your blog award.
    I love your pic the frame sets it all of beautifully, well done.

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  17. Congratulations on the award. I really love the pic and the sentiment - who couldn't love cake?

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  18. I'm glad you can see the other things you gain at craft fairs as well as money. I love looking at photos of other peoples displays, so roll on next week.
    Thank you for my award - I didn't know anyone actually read my blogs! I am saving my reply until next week.

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  19. Congrats on the award! Great cupcake applique - very artistic.

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  20. Ahh thanks so much for my award, am chuffed to bits as am still a newbie in the blogger world :) And so glad you stopped by, your blog is fab and your egg cosies completely scrumptious! Shall do my 7 facts and resipricate tomorrow as just done my new post for today and now must do orders. Thanks again,
    Sarah xx

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